Vernon Davis's Offseason is All About NFL Stocks and Private Workouts

San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis may be skipping offseason team workouts to build his personal brand, but make no mistake about it—the budding

Jeremy Woo | Jun 11, 2014

Vernon Davis's Offseason is All About NFL Stocks and Private Workouts /

San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis may be skipping offseason team workouts to build his personal brand, but make no mistake about it—the budding entrepreneur is keeping busy.

The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Davis, long regarded as one of the strongest tight ends in the league, grabbed 52 passes for 850 yards and 13 touchdowns last season for the Niners. He also recently became the first athlete ever to sell shares based on the value of his brand through Fantex I.P.O.

His mind, though seemingly wandering, remains on football. Davis has enjoyed the offseason luxury of training in a personal gym for the first time, working with an eye toward improving those numbers even further.

“We're doing some things differently as far as trying to maximize off of the explosive ability that I have,” he says. “We're trying to take it to the next level, and that's what my training's been focusing on.”

Vernon Davis uses his strength to shed tacklers and looks for running room after making a catch against the Oakland Raiders. — Vernon Davis uses his strength to shed tacklers and looks for running room after making a catch against the Oakland Raiders :: Jed Jacobsohn/SI

While at Maryland nearly 10 years ago, Davis set several strength records for tight ends, including bench press (460 pounds) and squat (685 pounds) while running the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds and boasting a 40-inch vertical. Long story short, he was a monster, whose athleticism allowed the former All-American to line up all over the field.

Training Day: Football Through The Years

The legendary Jim Brown poses for an action portrait during Cleveland Browns training camp in July 1957 at Hiram College.

Jerry Hopkins, John McCormick and Don Breaux take a break from the grind of pre-season training for a little golf practice at Denver Broncos training camp in July 1964.

Andy Robustelli, John LoVetere, Dick Modzelewski and Jim Katcavage running during New York Giants training camp at Fairfield University in August 1963.

Cleveland Browns head coach Blanton Collier diagrams a play on the chalkboard during training camp in July 1963.

New York Giants quarterback Y.A. Tittle works on his passing during a practice at Yankee Stadium, New York, 1963. Tittle played with the Giants from 1961 to 1964.

New York Giants players, coaches and staff use film as part of their training in this rare photo.

Legendary Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi watches over two professional football players who practice blocking and tackling by pushing a blocking sled in the 1960s.

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Chuck Bednarik jogs around the field prior to a practice in 1960 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.

New York Giants players participate in training camp in the 1950's as offensive coordinator Vince Lombardi looks on. Giants co-owner Wellington Mara stands in the background.

The New York Giants play in a practice game in a deserted and snowy Yankee Stadium in the late 1950s.

An American football team warms up before practice with some good 'ol jumping jacks in the late 1960's

Denver Broncos QB John Elway doing pull ups during training camp at University of Northern Colorado in August 1983.

Dallas Cowboys placekicker Rafael Septien in sensory depravation tank during training camp at Texas Stadium in July 1982.

San Francisco 49ers wide reciever Jerry Rice working out with the leg press machine as part of his rehabilitation from knee injury in December 1997.

NFL prospect and former University of Virginia lineman D'Brickashaw Ferguson running behind the glass drill at Wide World of Sports Disney Complex in Kissimmee in March 2006.

In July 2006, San Francisco 49ers safety Tony Parrish demonstrates Bikram yoga and the Vinyasa flow during a workout in Santa Clara, CA.

The Atlanta Falcons' Keith Brooking in action, demonstrating pull-ups during training camp workout in July 2005.

Pittsburg Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin watches over a practice in May 2007.

Penn State's Stephon Green working on agility drills in the gym during spring training in April 2008.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart demonstrating the Core X System workout at Level 10 Fitness in June 2008.

Former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber training to come back to the NFL in 2011 after abruptly retiring from the league in 2006.

Washington Redskins linebacker London Fletcher lifting weights during a workout at his home in June 2013.

Washington Redskins LB London Fletcher working out near is home in North Carolina in June 2013.

Washington Redskins linebacker London Fletcher performs the bear-crawl, sprinting in sand during a workout in June 2013.

NFL referee Ed Hochuli working out at the Life Time Fitness gym in Tempe, AZ in September 2012.

Western Branch quarterback Kevin Newsome lifting weights during a workout in the gym of Western Branch HS in Chesapeake, VA.

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis participating in an elementary school gym class at Briarwood Elementary in Santa Clara, CA in June 2008.

Former Texas quarterback Colt McCoy working out in the weight room at Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletic Center on the University of Texas campus in April 2009.

Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley running hurdles at the Performance Enhancement Professionals complex in Scottsdale, AZ in February 2014.

Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley working out his biceps at the Performance Enhancement Professionals complex in Scottsdale, AZ in February 2014.

Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley doing curls with his back against a medicine ball at the Performance Enhancement Professionals complex in Scottsdale, AZ in February 2014.

Free agent cornerback Michael Coe working out in the gym.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning lifting barbells in weight room in New Orleans, LA, back in April 1981.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre working out in gym at Don Hutson Center in October 1995.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre working out with strength and conditioning coach Kent Johnston.

Brett Favre working with quarterbacks coach Steve Mariucci during practice outside of Lambeau Field.

Former New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey running through the arm tackle power tunnel equipment during training camp at Millsaps College in 2008.

Scott Schanle, of the New Orleans Saints, running agility drills during training camp at Millsaps College in 2008.

NFL prospect Blake Bortles works out with professional trainers at EXOS Athletes Performance in Carlsbad, CA.

Ohio State running back Carlos Hyde works on improving his 40 time with a trainer in Tampa, FL.

Former Green Bay Packers wide reciever Donald Driver bikes into training camp while fans follow in July 2008.

“It's the foundation for what I'm doing now,” says Davis. “When I think back and I look at my path and where I started, I keep all those things in mind and continue to take it forward.”

Now 30 years old, Davis still weight-trains regularly, and keeps a focus on his diet in order to maintain both the bulk that lets him bang in the trenches and the agility and burst that allow him to line up at receiver when the situation presents itself. Davis has filled in at receiver for San Francisco on multiple occasions, including in 2012 when Michael Crabtree was sidelined with an Achilles injury.

“I do all the same things I used to do,” Davis says. “Maybe I do a little more as far as taking care of my body. Just eating right, getting an ample amount of proteins in my system."

"You have to be really adamant about that, getting the correct nutrition your body needs—I've been focusing on eating right and getting the right amount of carbs and proteins in my system every 2-3 hours.”

In his free time, Davis enjoys painting, the sport of curling and has recently become the first athlete to offer stock in their own brand :: Robert Beck/SI

When away from both the gridiron and the gym, an unusual hobby has piqued Davis’s interest: curling. Introduced to the sport five years ago, Davis acquired a taste for curling’s precision and execution and has followed the game closely ever since.

“One of the [49ers] beat writers came up to me and asked me to try the sport,” he explains. “I participated, and I believe the U.S. Curling team actually called us to come out. I went out and had a great opportunity to get involved with those guys, and we just kept rolling.”

Davis attended both the 2010 Vancouver and 2014 Sochi Olympics, serving during the latter as the United States’ unofficial team captain. He picks up a brush every now and then in his free time, and doesn’t rule out the possibility of a career after football.

It’s unclear when Davis will return to the Niners. Reading between the lines, he might be angling for a new contract, after taking the stance that fellow elite receiving tight end Jimmy Graham should be paid like a wideout.

But until Davis does, it seems he’ll have no difficulty keeping himself busy.

Published Jun 11, 2014

JEREMY WOO

Jeremy Woo has covered basketball for SI since 2014, including the NBA draft and weekly Power Rankings. He is from the South Side of Chicago.